China needs three aircraft carriers, writes naval researcher
Unease over reports PLA building more ships an overreaction, naval analyst says
China should have at least three aircraft carriers to defend its national interests at sea, a mainland naval expert said, adding that criticism overseas of an expansion of the fleet was an overreaction.
Three carriers would just meet the most basic demands of China's navy, said Li Jie, a researcher at the Naval Military Studies Research Institute.
"Among three carrier fighting groups, just one would able to carry out operational missions because one would be used for training, while the third would have to undergo maintenance," he said.
China now has one aircraft carrier, but the Communist Party chief in Liaoning province Wang Min said earlier this month that a second was being built in Dalian . Reports of his comments were later deleted from the internet.
Li dismissed reports overseas that the PLA would be able to deploy three carriers by 2020, one in the East China Sea and two in the South China Sea.
"It's impossible for China to complete the construction of three carrier fighting groups by 2020 based on current shipbuilding capabilities and other technical reasons," he said.
Li said China had two yards capable of building aircraft carriers, at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry and the Shanghai-based Jiangnan Shipyard.